


The Witcher - Loen's Story

by Jared_Whight



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game)
Genre: Dark, F/M, Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 11:44:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15840618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jared_Whight/pseuds/Jared_Whight
Summary: Loen is a witcher of the viper school. He knows how to get his way. Along his path he meets a sorceress that forces him into a disrtubing job.  The two delve into a dark castle to kill what distrubing creature lurks below.





	1. Loen

**Author's Note:**

> Obvious Disclaimer - I do not own The Witcher books or Video games, nor do I make any profit from this work of fiction.
> 
> Loen is pronounced as Loan.

Loen had been hired to clear out an alghoul infestation, at fifty crowns a head. The village alderman was stupid to agree to that price. Loen suspected the alderman would try to cheat him, but Loen had gotten pretty good at making sure contract holders paid the agreed upon amount.

Loen looked into the cave. He heard the alghoul’s scampering around. By his count, there were four. It wouldn’t be to hard with the right potions and signs. They might get a scratch or two in, but every job had it’s risks.

After downing a swig of cat he drew Deien Càeme, which roughly translated to, Serve Destiny. Loen didn’t care if the sword had some pretentious meaning, as long as it cut through bone he was happy. He pulled his hood over his head and headed into the cave.

He patted his hip to make sure his dagger was still there. Most witchers carried two swords, one steel one silver. Loen only carried a silver one. Only carrying one sword meant that common people wouldn’t immediately realize he was a witcher. Most of the time people treated him as a normal person. It was only when they looked into his cat-like eyes that people knew what he was.

Loen looked around the expansive cave. Small tunnels lead to other smaller tunnels that eventually led to dead ends. Water dripped from the ceiling landing in puddles from a small pond above the cave. All sorts of mold and mushrooms grew around the puddles.

He picked up the light footfalls quickly running up behind him. Loen whirled around and slashed at a lone alghoul. It’s head rolled further into the darkness of the cave. Loen suspected the next attack would contain the three remaining alghoul’s.

He walked slowly into the darkness, waiting for any sign of movement, any hint of the next attack. It was a long time until the attack came.

The alghoul’s attacked as one from all sides. Loen moved his fingers for Aard. It hit the alghoul attacking from his front and sent it flying into the wall. He ducked as the second flew over his head, and swiped at the the third on his back. The two remaining alghoul's regrouped.

Loen stared at them both. They circled each other for a long while. Loen - who was tired of waiting - drew his dagger and lunged at the alghoul's. The alghoul's did the same.

He threw his dagger at the one on his left. It hit its mark and dropped the alghoul. He made one upward strike and sliced the alghoul in half. The rancid blood stained the walls. Loen wiped a few streaks of blood of his cloak.

Loen let out a deep breath and cleaned the blood off his sword before sheathing it. He grabbed his dagger and started cutting off the heads. After a few minutes he had them tied to a rope and hanging off the side of his horse.

 

* * *

 

 

Loen made it back to the village a little past noon. The sun was beating down. Villagers looked upon him with happy looks. They couldn’t hide the fear in their eyes. Loen was used to it, all witchers were.

Loen didn’t remember the villages name, he rarely did. It was relatively small, but made a fortune from selling a rare fish that spawned near the village.

He steered his black mare to a post riddled with termites just outside the alderman’s house and tied it up. He ran his fingers threw the horses silky mane. He untied the heads and knocked on the door. After a minute of continuous knocking the fat alderman opened the door.

“What? What is it?” The alderman scratched his chin. “Oh, it’s you.”

Loen dropped the heads at his feet. A small river of blood dripped down the steps.

“Two hundred crowns,” Loen said without emotion.

The alderman kicked the heads and scratched his head. He looked lost in thought. Contemplating how he was going to screw Loen out of his money.

“It thought they were bigger,” the alderman said, breaking the silence. “I think one hundred is a more fair price.” He looked down at the heads again. “They look about the size of a small dog. On second thought, fifty would be an even fairer price. I’ve got a town to run after all.” The alderman smiled, flashing his yellow teeth.

Loen smiled and pushed the alderman into his home. He didn’t let go as he pushed him farther into the house. He only stopped pushing once the alderman thudded against the wall. Loen had his forearm up to the alderman’s neck, slowly apply pressure. Sweat dripped off the alderman’s face onto Loen’s black leather bracer.

“We agreed to fifty a head.”

Loen released some pressure so the alderman could speak. “It’s not easy being in charge of a town like this.”

Unhappy with the alderman’s answer Loen applied more pressure.

“Okay, fifty it is,” the alderman hissed out between breaths

Loen smiled and let the alderman go.

“That’s what I call enhanced bargaining.”

The alderman reached into his pocket and pulled out a fine pouch and threw it to Loen.

“You know all this killing and threatening has made me rather tired. I think I’ll stay in the inn a few days.” Loen carelessly pointed the tip of his dagger at the alderman. “I can tell the inn keep you’re taking care of the expenses, right?”

The alderman looked at the knife and nodded. “Mmm, Hmm.”

Loen slammed the door behind him. The alderman rubbed his neck and slid down against the wall. “Fucking witchers.”

 

* * *

 

 

Brand was a simple farmer with a simple life. All he wanted to do was work the land and provide for his family. And that’s exactly what he did. It wasn’t all perfect though, his daughter frequently wandered off. Brand was usually okay with this as long as she was home before sunlight. Tonight was different though. It had been two hours since sunrise and Misha hadn’t returned.

He found his way to a pond where she liked to draw. She was always pleading with him to let her stay out late to draw pond at night, but the world was a dangerous place. Especially for a young woman. If the wolves or monsters didn’t get her then the wandering mercenaries and bandits would.

“Misha!” Brand called. “Misha, me and your mom are worried. If you’re hiding please come out, I promise I won’t be mad.”

Brand waited for a few minutes. Misha never appeared. The bushes and trees shook in the wind. The moonlit pond mirrored the surroundings. Brand now saw why his daughter wanted to draw it. If she wasn’t already dead he promised himself he would take her out one night.

Brand left the pond and wandered back towards the village. He decided to check in at the inn. Misha was friends with one of the serving girls there.

The inn was busy with the late night customers drowning their sorrows or celebrating another day survived. Brand waded through the crowd until he reached the counter.

“Brand!” the inn keep shouted with glee. “Haven’t seen you in here for a month. Still drinking vodka?”

“Oh, no. I gave up drinking. It cost to much.”

The inn keep nodded. “Shame.”

“Have you seen Misha in here tonight? She hasn’t come home and the pond she frequents is empty.”

“I think I saw her head towards the back earlier. Might be in with Shawna. Those two are inseparable”

Brand nodded and gave his thanks. He fought against the crowd as he made his way to the back. He was about to knock on Shawna’s door, but then he heard something that made the blood drain from his face.

He burst into the VIP room and saw the witcher naked on top of his beloved Misha.

“Misha?” Brand practically whispered.

Misha looked up and saw her father with a horrified look on his face. Only one thought went through her head.

“Daddy! He’s raping me!”

“The witchman’s rapping my daughter,” Brand yelled back into the inn with the roar of a lion.

 

* * *

 

 

Loen had to jump out the window in order to avoid the angry mob. Of course Loen hadn’t raped Misha. She had practically pounced on him, and who was he to refuse the company of a beautiful woman. But, when she was caught in the act she would rather condemn an innocent man than face the consequences of dishonoring her family.

Loen managed to grab his sword and armor. Luckily he he kept his gold close at all times so he was only short a few crowns.

Yet another village added to his list of places he could no longer visit. Loen decided to ride through the night. The alderman now had a reason to send the town guard after him. The farmer would most likely gather up some friends and chase him down. As long as he kept riding he would be safe.


	2. A Living Legend

Loen made camp off the road as soon as dusk hit. The snares he set out caught two fairly plump rabbits. They had probably gorged themselves on the efforts of a starving farmer.

He had a small campfire going once he set up his bedding. He had a large tarp hanging from a rope strung between two trees and some rocks along the sides. It made a small tent that looked like it would fly away with a gust of wind. If the winds prevailed through the night the makeshift tent would collect the extra heat and keep him warm.

Just as the first rabbit was done cooking a man entered Loen’s clearing. The man was tall and lean. He had white hair but didn’t look any older than forty, fifty at the absolute most.

“Who are you?” asked Loen.

“Geralt of Rivia.”

Loen now knew why the man had been able to sneak up on him. “Loen of Kaedwan, witcher.”

Geralt studied the man slumped against the tree. “You loose your iron sword?”

“I only carry a silver sword. Way I see it silver kills men just as good as iron.”

Geralt nodded, satisfied with Loen’s answer. “Not many witchers of the viper school left.”

“It makes it impossible to work for a king.”

Geralt nodded. “Mind if I borrow your fire?” Geralt lifted a rabbit from his side.

Loen took his rabbit off the spit roast and gestured for his guest to take his turn. Geralt put his rabbit over the fire and sat down on a stump across from Loen.

“Are you the witcher that passed through Lowbrook?”

“Aye.” Loen nodded and tore off a chunk of rabbit.

“Let me guess, you got caught with someones daughter and instead of facing the consequences she screamed rape.”

“Bingo.”

The two witchers sat in silence for the next half hour as Geralts rabbit cooked. After a while Geralts chesnut mare entered the clearing. Geralt patted her and tied her to a tree.

“Were are you heading, Geralt?”

“Novigrad.”

“Business?”

Geralt turned his rabbit, then settled back down on the stump. “Looking for a woman, ashen hair, green eyes, and a scar on her cheek.”

“Haven’t seen a lass like that. You think she might be in Novigrad?”

“I have a few friends in Novigrad that she might have made contact with.”

“I’m making my towards Novigrad. Perhaps we could travel together. After all two witchers are better than one.”

Geralt turned his rabbit a few more times while he turned his rabbit. “Alright. But we split up once we get there. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

 

* * *

 

 

The gentle warming rays of the sun woke Loen up. By the time Loen had camp packed up Geralt returned from the brush.

“Something wrong?” Loen asked.

Geralt shook his head as if this was something he normally dealt with. “My horse, Roach.”

Loen looked to the tree where Roach was tied to the night before. “Is she missing?”

“She’s across the river.”

Loen laughed at what he thought was a joke. When Geralt didn’t return laughter Loen realized he was telling the truth.

“How? That rivers forty feet across. The current would push a salmon downstream.”

“She has a knack for getting into places she doesn’t belong.” Geralt sighed. “I’ll cross the river up stream where it’s shallow and meet you at the bridge to the north. You know it?”

“Aye.”

Geralt took off without another word. Loen double checked the fastenings on his mare. He had never thought about naming his horse. Seeing Geralt call his horse by name made him feel like he was missing out on something.

“Midnight.” Loen looked into the horses eyes and shrugged. “How’s that sound girl. We’ll see if it sticks.”

Loen kicked the smoldering embers of the fire and mounted Midnight. The horse made it out of the forest with swift grace. He knew when he should lift his hoof higher and when the ground suddenly lowered without warning.

It took Loen only twenty minutes to reach the bridge Geralt had told him about. After another ten minutes of waiting Geralt appeared from the forest, dripping water onto the dirt road.

“This happen often?” Loen asked after a long silence.

“More than you think.”

The witchers continued their journey in silence for a few hours. Talking wasn’t either of their strong suits. Just knowing they had each others back was enough.

Geralt stopped abruptly and perked his head up.

“You hear that?” Geralt asked.

“Yup, seven men in the bushes. You think they’re stupid to attack two witchers?”

“They almost alway are.”

Seven men emerged from the bushes and blocked the road. They were heavily armored and wore black hoods. Their steel armor was painted black and well polished. They stood with their hands on the hilts of their swords, ready to be drawn at any moment.

A portal opened in front of the men. A woman in a black dress stepped out. Her blond hair stood out from her dress. Her eyes were deep blue. She smiled at the sight of Loen, a moment later she looked to Geralt and frowned. She turned around to the eldest man with long black hair and goatee.

“There’s two. I hired you to find Loen of Kaedwan, no one else.”

The man looked at her impatiently. “And we did. It’s not our fault he’s traveling with another witcher. I swear to god witch if you try and screw us out of our money-”

Aleina silenced him with a single wave of her hand. “Don’t worry you’ll get the full amount.” The woman turned and smiled at the witchers. She took a few moments to smooth out her dress. “Geralt, this matter is of no concern to you. My men will let you pass.”

Geralt looked to Loen then back to the woman. “No. I won’t leave a fellow witcher. We don’t have much, but we have each other.”

Loen nodded to Geralt giving him silent thanks. “Sorceress, I don’t know who you are.”

“I am Aleina Rauch Van Aldersbine of Nilfgaurd. You may simply call me Aleina.”

“Did Emyr send you?” Geralt asked.

Aleina smiled. “No, Emyr wishes me dead.”

Geralt nodded to himself.

“What do you want?” Loen stared Aleina directly in her eyes. They were an emotionless pit. He felt bad for the men she had been with.

“I wish to hire you.”

Loen pointed at the armed men. “What’s with the entourage?”

“I’m not exactly giving you a choice.”

Loen smiled. “When in that case promptly go fuck yourself.”

Geralt rolled his eyes at Loen. He knew grace and finesse were required when dealing with sorceresses.

The witchers tried to move but couldn’t.

Loen felt his throat tighten, and his vision started to go blurry. He realized the spell paralyzed more than his limbs, his organs stopped completely.


	3. A Journey Into Hell

Loen awoke in a dark cell, stripped of his weapons. His vision was just starting to return and was still blurry.

He could make out a small five by five cell with a row of bars as a front wall. Mold clung to the walls making them appear to be carpeted.

Loen tried to get up, but fell after he took his first step.

“Take it slow.” Aleina’s voice rang out like a bell in the middle of the night. Loen couldn’t tell were it was coming from. “It will be a while until you fully recover. I’m very sorry about taking such… extreme measures.”

“Where’s Geralt you fucking bitch.” Loen couldn’t help but let his anger bleed into his voice.

“Is that any way to speak to a lady?”

“You aren’t a lady, you’re a bitch. Now, where the fuck is Geralt.”

“Don’t worry. He’s back on the path, looking for his Ciri. Yennefer forbade me from hiring him for this job. Or any job for that matter. She’s very protective of her pet witcher.”

“I don’t want to work for a sorceress. I’ve done it in the past and let me tell you, it isn’t worth it.”

Aleina’s dress rustled against the cracked floor as she moved closer to Loen’s cell. She knelt down, not even flinching as a large portion of her dress dipped into a puddle of stagnant water.

“You don’t like sorceresses?”

Loen pulled himself up and sat against the wall. At least Aleina’s men didn’t take his armor. “I don’t dislike sorceresses, I hate them. You’re so high and mighty about yourselves, thinking your better than normal people because you have gifts. Let me let you in on a little secret, you aren’t shit.”

Aleina didn’t respond for a long while. She pondered his statement, but couldn’t find much wrong with it. “I understand. I do admit, I’m a little disappointed you think me a common whore. To tell the truth, I haven’t been with a man in twenty years, and I haven’t been in a kings castle since I spoke up against Emyr’s war. I also stole a small fortune from him, not to mention some of his best men.”

“Good for you, can I go now?” Loen didn’t like being caged. No matter where he was he always made sure there was a way out. Not this time.

Aleina’s tone changed from a proud sorceress to a sweet, defeated tone. “Please help me.”

“Changing your tone of voice isn’t going to help. I want nothing to do with you.”

“I can pay.”

Loen laughed. In his experience desperate people were the less likely to pay up once the job was done.

“Two thousand crowns up front. Another three after the jobs done.” Aleina was serious.

Loen didn’t respond for a while. Five thousand crowns could set him up for life if he made some good investments and opened a savings account. Maybe he could be the first witcher to die in his bed.

“Half up front,” he responded after the silence.

“I can do that. As long as you don’t kill me when I unlock the cell.”

“As long as you pay, your safety is guaranteed.”

Aleina stood up and unlocked the door. It swung open on rusted hinges. She took off down the hallway with Loen at her heels.

“Where are we?”

“Does that really matter?”

“No, but I’d like to know. Just in case.”

“The bottom of the ocean.”

Loen chuckled at her joke. When she didn’t return his laughter he got worried. “What do you mean we’re at the bottom of the fucking ocean?”

Aleina looked over her shoulder. “Calm down. The castle is protected by magical barriers.”

As crazy as it sounded to Loen, it made sense. There were no windows, and where the stone was cracked, no sunlight filled the void.

Aleina and Loen walked into a large room where the guards from the road were waiting. One of the guards had Loen’s sword, an other one used his dagger to pick his teeth.

Loen grabbed his sword and used the flat end to knock the dagger from the others hand.

The two guards drew their own swords and pointed them at Loen.

“Stop,” Aleina commanded her guards.

“Miss Aleina,” started one of the guards. “He attacked us.”

“I told you to leave his belongings alone. He had every right to attack you.”

Loen smiled and sheathed his sword. The guards went back to standing by and passing the time until they would be called upon.

“What’s the job?” Loen asked, turning to Aleina.

Aleina looked all around the room, trying her best to get away from Loen’s gaze. “I created… something.” Aleina trailed off.

“I’m going to need details.”

Aleina nodded and took a deep breath. “In order to understand the… thing I created you should know what I was trying to accomplish.”

Loen nodded. Sometimes it was the little details that helped him on a contract.

“I’m trying to reverse the infertility of withcer’s and sorceresses.”

Loen expected her to have been working on some sort of horrendous plague or spell designed to exterminate all life of a kingdom. But he never expected her - a sorceress - to be working on something so noble.

“I did something. Something I’m not sure how I did. I created life. Not a child. A monster that’s only purpose is to kill, not for survival, but for sport.”

“You asked if you could, instead of if you should.”

“I admit I should have been more cautious, but what’s done is done. I contained the monster in the depths of the castle. Now all we have to do is kill it.”

Loen lost the smile on his face and replaced it with a frown. “We?”

“It killed five of my best men. I feel responsible for it. After all I brought it into this world.”

Loen gave the sorceress a good look over. She seemed capable in a fight. The dress she wore could be a problem, and she’d need a weapon in case magic failed them. “Okay, as long as you dress appropriately and get a back up weapon.”

Aleina smiled and took her leave. “I’ll be ready in half an hour.”

 

* * *

 

 

Aleina returned to Loen right after her thirty minutes was up. Her timing was impeccable.

Her look took a complete one eighty from regal lady to assassin in the dark. She wore a skin tight suit clad with hardened leather covering all vital organs. Her once flowing hair was now tied down in a tight bun. Only one thing was missing.

Loen tapped his foot and shook his head. “I said you need a weapon.”

A streak of flame danced between the sorceresses fingers. “That’s what magic is for. I don’t like getting my hands dirty.”

“In my experience magic can fail. Cold steel tends to be more reliable.”

Loen didn’t budge on his position. He would let her tag along, but only if she agreed to his terms. To many times people died because they didn’t follow his instructions.

Eventually, Aleina gave in. “Ugh, fine. If it will make you happy.”

She walked over to one of the guards and stood confidently with her hand outstretched. “Give me your sword.”

The guard shrugged and unbuckled the scabbard and gave it to Aleina. He was going to sit on his ass while Aleina and Loen walked into a fight and possible death.

Aleina strapped the belt to her petite waste as she walked back to Loen. In comparison to Loen she was small. He towered five inches over her. Her size did not affect her confidence in the slightest. “Satisfied?”

“Do you even know how to use that?”

“I told you I use magic. Swords are so… undignified.”

“But effective.”

Aleina rolled her eyes and took off towards the end of the hall. Loen followed her until their path was blocked by a strong wood door with a heavy steel bar holding it shut. The door was braced with steel, and a little bit of magic to ensure nothing could get out. Aleina tried to lift it, but quite simply didn’t have the strength to.

“Need some help?”

“Shut up.” Aleina waited for Loen to help. She realized Loen was waiting for her to ask. “Please help me.”

“Was that so hard?” Loen lifted bar with some effort. It hit the wall so hard it cracked slightly.

“Not another word about this.”

Loen began to realize sorceresses were human. They could be weak, and let pride get in the way just like any other person. He shook his head and followed Aleina down the dark hallway. His eyes adapted to the darkness within a matter of seconds. He suspected Aleina was using magic to see.

Loen finally gave in to curiosity. “How big is this monster?”

“I was to focused on running away to get a good look at it. But, I’d say about eight or nine feet. Full of muscle. Oh, and it blends into the dark, so be careful.”

Comforting, Loen thought.

“Is the sarcasm a coping mechanism,” Aleina chimed from the darkness ahead.

Loen stopped dead in his tracks. Aleina stopped a little after and turned around. “You reading my thoughts?”

“Yes.”

“Fucking stop!” Loen’s voice echoed down to the lowest depths of the castle.

“I’m sorry,” Aleina said a few moments later with sincerity. “I’ll respect your privacy from here on out.”

“Lets just go.” Loen pushed past Aleina, further into the castle.

After a few minutes of silent walking the duo saw a soft red glow from the end of a long hallway. It pulsed slightly, as if a heart was powering the glow.

They followed the glow until they found a long tube of red ooze growing across a wall. The tube was made of a translucent black skin giving the blood inside a dark color.

“What the fuck did you do?” Loen looked to Aleina, but she had no response. It caught her off guard just as much as Loen.

“I have no idea. It looks biological, like a very large artery. It looks to be filled with blood.”

Aleina drew her sword quick, but not quick enough. Loen grabbed her wrist and forced the sword to the ground.

“Don’t touch it,” Loen growled.

“Aren’t you curious?”

“I am, but we have more pressing matters to deal with. There’ll be plenty of time to study it after we kill whatever monster you created. Now pick up your sword and lets go.”

Aleina grunted and did as Loen commanded. “I thought I was the boss.”

“Just because you’re paying me doesn’t make you the boss.”

“That doesn’t sound right.”

Loen took the lead.

She didn’t want to admit it, but her life was in Loen’s hands. After all he was the professional.

The corrupt vines of flesh grew more and more the deeper hey traveled. The glow was also growing. Loen kept his eyes and wits sharp, but Aleina was looking around at her creation like a kid in a candy shop.

It wasn’t what she expected - or wanted - but, she had done. She created life.

“Keep your eyes forward,” Loen whispered. “If something jumps out at you while your looking at, whatever this stuff is, I won’t be able to save you.”

“It’s just so fascinating. I created this.”

“I don’t think this is something to be proud of.”

“Not proud. More like… impressed. Don’t worry. I’ve already decided to give up on this research. If it leads to something like this, I want nothing to do with it. If this stuff escaped this castle, who knows how fast it would spread. It’s only been a few days since the incident and it’s already out of control.”

“How do you plan on destroying this stuff?”

“It may have a source, if not I’ll purge it with fire. Either way it will be eradicated from existence.

Loen caught Aleina as she tripped over some vines on the floor. Her heels dug into it, causing blood to spurt out, a second later there was a scream that would strike fear into the most hardened warrior.

Aleina pulled herself closer to Loen, seeking safety.

Loen didn’t know how to react. As a witcher he didn’t feel the fear she felt. He didn’t know what she was going through.

After a while Aleina overcame her fear and pealed away from Loen. “I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s just keep going.”

The hallway started to tighten due to the massive amounts of tendrils coating the walls, floor, and ceiling in a disgusting combination of darkness and red.

Aleina started walking on her toes to avoid another wicked scream of despair.

“The laboratory is just around this next corner.”

Loen unsheathed his sword in a perfect silver arc. He held the sword with a firm grasp and held it at the ready for whatever was waiting for him.

Loen rounded the corner with his sword raised and ready to strike, but had no target. Loen had seen a lot on his path, but nothing like this.

The laboratory was just as overgrown by the vines of death as the hallway, if not even more. Pods hung from the ceiling and clung to the walls. Upon closer inspection they saw the pods were filled with fetuses.

Loen looked on with sickened curiosity. Aleina couldn’t hold the vomit rising in the back of her throat. She turned away from the pod and let loose. She wiped the vomit from her lips with her leather bracer.

“You’ve come back to me, mother.”

Loen and Aleina turned around posed to attack. But the voice had no source.

“Where are you?” Shouted Aleina.

“Everywhere.” This time the voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. “Are you proud of me, mother? I’m building you an army.”

“What makes you think I want this? I wanted to create life, not build an army to kill.”

“I’m creating life, pure life.”

Loen didn’t care to question the monster. All he wanted to do was kill it and destroy all the remnants. He looked at his sword, then down at the veins covering the floor. He cocked his head and plunged the sword down until it hit stone.

The scream came back this time louder. It got louder as Loen drug the sword along the ground. Blood spurted to the ceiling.

The wall farthest from the entrance began to move. A dark creature emerged from the shadows. It was eight feet all, as Aleina had stated before. It had more muscle than Loen thought was possible. Read glowing veins covered the creature. It’s skin smoldered like a long dead campfire.

“I did this for you, mother! And you respond by bringing a mutant to kill me! You’re not worth the trouble of keeping alive. I will conquer this world by myself.”

The monster made a b-line for Aleina. She wasn’t fast enough to do anything, but Loen was. He blasted the monster with aard and made it stumble back a step. Only a step.

Aleina threw as much fire as she could at it, but it had no visible effect. Although the monster covered it’s mouth when attacked by her flames.

The monster attacked Aleina again, this time Loen took advantage of the distraction and made a quick strike to the monsters leg. Right behind the knee. It was just enough to stop Aleina from being ripped in half.

Magic was ineffective, but silver was always reliable when facing monsters. The monster turned it’s attention to Loen.

“The pods!” Loen yelled to Aleina.

He had no idea if it would weaken the monster at all, but one could never be to certain. If not weaken it then it would enrage it, make it emotional. Whenever emotions get involved that’s when people start making stupid decisions.

The monster struck Loen on the side and sent him flying into one of the pods. It burst on impact, covering him in embryonic fluid. Loen was a witcher, and even he couldn’t help but panic.

He flailed around until he was able to draw his knife and through it at the monsters head. It struck it’s forehead. Penetrating four inches, more than enough to pierce the brain. Definitely enough to kill most creatures. Most being the keyword.

The monster kept walking toward Loen. Loen got to his feet, barely.

“For fuck sake,” Loen got out before the monster ran him into the wall. Loen managed to get his sword into the monster, all the way to the hilt, right through its chest. And yet it didn’t stop.

Aleina drew her sword and did her best to stab the monster in the back. She got it to stick.

“You’ve betrayed me, mother.”

Loen flung his body up to the monsters head and brought down his foot on the dagger sticking out of his head. The dagger went in all they way, causing the monster to stagger and kneel, coughing up blood.

Loen fell to the ground gasping for air.

Aleina stuck her hand out towards the monsters open mouth and poured fire down it’s throat. It would have screamed if it still had vocal cords. The fire cooked the internal organs until they were nothing but charcoal.

The monster fell to the ground, dead.

She ran to Loen. “Are you okay?” she said, kneeling at his side.

“No, I’ve felt this feeling before. It broke most of my ribs and pierced a lung. Looks like my life is in your hands.” Loen let out a small laugh before unconsciousness overtook him.

Aleina opened a portal to the main hall, a moment late the guards rushed in with weapons drawn, but they found nothing to attack.

“Help me get him out of here,” Aleina shouted at the men.


	4. The Healing Process

Aleina spent the next three months mending Loen’s broken ribs. Every single one was broken. Five were completely shattered. His lungs were so shredded it was a miracle he survived.

The pain would be to much for even a witcher to handle, so Aleina put him in a coma.

Slowly but surely Aleina developed feelings for the witcher. She feared that he wouldn’t feel the same or even give her chance. She didn’t even know if it was possible for him to feel anything for her. Only time would tell.

Every so often he would wake from his coma, screaming at the pain. She would ease him back into the comma and he would look into her eyes, thanking her.

She finished mending his wounds halfway through the fourth month. He was still in pain, but it was manageable.

“How long?” Loen finally asked.

“Four and a half months. Your ribs were shattered. If it wasn’t for magic you surely would have died.” Aleina reached out and ran her fingers through his hair. To her surprise he didn’t pull away.

“I suppose I should thank you. As well as offer an apology. I miss judged you because you were a sorceress, I’m sorry”

“Is that it?”

“I’m not a damned bard.”

Aleina smiled. “I accept your apology.”

“I know what you did for me.”

“Its a bit obvious.”

Loen shook his head. “Not for that. For taking care of me. I could hear you sometimes. I heard you reading to me, even though there was no rational reason to. I also heard some of the things you said to me.”

Aleina blushed and look down at the floor. She thought the spell was stronger than that. Loen lifted her head to meet his eyes.

“It would never work between us. Your a witcher-”

“Fuck that. With the money you owe me I can retire. I always wanted to be the first witcher to die in his bed.”

“I need someone who can love me back.”

Loen laughed. “No one understands witchers. That whole thing about us not being able to feel is bullshit. We can feel a few basic emotions like anger, or happiness. I’ve even ran into a few witchers who’ve fallen in love. In this moment, I don’t love you, but over time I think I might.”

Aleina laughed and buried her head into Loens chest. He grunted and recoiled in pain.

“I’m sorry,” she pleaded.

All Loen did was smile.


	5. Epilogue

Loen and Aleina married two years later.

Loen took the money from Aleina and used it to invest in a startup trading company that made a fortune when one of its ships found an island with incredible reserves of gold.

Aleina and Loen used the money to build a large manor in a secluded forest where they would spend the rest of their lives.

Aleina gave up on her research. All it did was bring destruction instead of bringing life into the world.

They would occasionally visit Geralt and Yennefer at Corvo Bianco. Only occasionally though.


End file.
